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When a heart stops beating, a person becomes unconscious within a few seconds due to lack of blood going to the brain. A specially trained team can provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in an attempt to restart the heart; however, in some cases this may not be the best course of action for the patient. How does the patient, their family and their healthcare provider make the right decision together? With a focus on ensuring people receive only treatments they need and want, Primary Investigator Dr. Jennifer Kryworuchko has received funding from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada to test a new video-format patient decision aid.

Patient decision aids are well known resources that can help identify alternative options, their benefits and harms and help patients share what is important to them with their healthcare providers. Dr. Kryworuchko, alongside co-investigators Romayne Gallagher, Daren Heyland and Robert Fowler, developed the new video decision aid to help prepare patients, families and their healthcare team to have good conversations about whether CPR is the right treatment for their care.

When asked about the project, Dr. Kryworuchko replied, “Our research is focused on reducing the impact of advanced heart disease and stroke by advocating for improved involvement in the choice people have about whether they want to receive heart treatments like CPR. We already know that for certain patient populations, CPR just doesn’t work very well.” She went on to say, “We don’t expect people to choose a certain way; we just want patients and families to be able to share what is most important to them when CPR decisions are made in hospital. Patients should get the care they need and want, and no more. I am looking forward to working with healthcare professionals and families in our Saskatchewan community to see how we can work together to make sure people are better involved in decisions about their health, while they are in hospital. I am absolutely delighted and grateful to have the Foundation’s support for this research."

About the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada

The Heart and Stroke Foundation is one of Canada’s largest and most effective health charities. Over the last 60 years, they have invested more than $1.35 billion in heart and stroke research, making them the largest contributor in Canada, after the federal government. This volunteer-based health charity, receives generous funding from Foundation donors and the general public to promote healthy living, advocacy and reducing the impact of heart disease and stroke through the advancement of innovative, world class research and its application. For more information on the Heart and Stroke Foundation, click here.